“BOM HURRY UP!!!” Dara ran as fast as she could to the train station platform. The KTX train that will take them to Yeongwol will be departing in 2 minutes.

 

“KYAAAAHHH!!!” Bom screamed as she ran behind Dara. They can see the red light blinking on the train doors.

 

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO POOP ON THE LAST MINUTE??!!” Dara didn’t’ bother looking back and kept on running.

 

“I CANNOT CONTROL THE CALL OF NATURE!!!” Bom screamed.

 

At last they reached the train doors, Bom pushed Dara inside and immediately jumped in before the train door closes.

 

“Thank God…” Dara said while panting. She slumped on the floor while Bom slid down on a sitting position against the train door. The train started moving. They were both trying to catch their breath.

 

Suddenly, Dara let out a triumphant laugh. Bom looked at her confused.

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“I finally won’t see Jiyong’s face for two days. I’m so happy!”

 

Bom snorted.

 

“Kajja!” Dara stood up and adjusted her backpack. Bom followed. They both walked towards their assigned seats.

 

“Our seats are found in the first class section” Bom looked at her ticket while walking.

 

“Omma made sure we’re comfortable travelling to Yeongwol. We need to conserve our energy for work”.

 

“Good morning Ma’am, may I check your tickets?” the train attendant greeted. After their tickets were checked, they were guided to their seats.

 

Seats in the First Class cars are arranged 1-2, three abreast in each row, with single seats (labelled “A”) on one side and paired seats (labelled “B” and “C”) across the aisle. There were not much passengers in the KTX first class cabin that morning.

 

While walking towards their seats, Dara saw a familiar figure sitting down opposite their seat. He’s sitting on the single seat ‘8A’ while Bom and Dara’s chair are paired, ‘8B’ and ‘8C’. She hurriedly walked towards their row.

 

“MWOYAAA???!!! (what)” Dara exclaimed irritatingly when she realized he was Jiyong. He was listening with his  Beats wireless Over-Ears headphones while playing a game on his phone.

 

Jiyong looked up from his phone when he felt someone’s coming towards his row. He smiled pleasantly when he recognized Dara and Bom. Bom was behind Dara, smirking. She drew her hand across as a sign that he’s gonna get killed by Dara and then pointed at him.

 

Jiyong smirked as well  and leisurely pulled down his headphones to his neck. He put down his foot that was resting over his other thigh and placed both his feet on the ground. He then pulled himself up to sit more comfortably on his chair.

 

“Hi girls. Glad to see you made it” he playfully greeted. Both girls stopped in front of him.

 

“Yah! why do you keep on following me?!”

 

“I’m not following you. Omma asked me to come here too. She said Halmoni needed a strong man like me to help out” he replied, faking innocence.

 

“Must you follow everything she tells you?!... and don’t call my mom Omma!”

 

Jiyong frowned. “Bom calls her Omma… why can’t I?”

 

“Because… because... she’s my bestfriend you idiot!”

 

“And I?... what am I to you?”

 

“Boyfriend’ Bom butted in.

 

“Yah!!!” Dara hit Bom’s arm

 

“Ouch!”

 

“Do you know he’s gonna be here?!”

 

Jiyong teasingly laughed and pointed at Bom “Yes! your best friend betrayed you! hahahaha!”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me!... I could have done something!” she hit Bom’s arm again.

 

“Ouch! Yah!.... Omma told me she’s not gonna let me eat dinner in your house again if I tell you!” she rubbed her arm.

 

“I can’t believe you're more loyal to food than your best friend!” she looked at her with hatred.

 

“Correction… I’m not loyal to food… I’m more loyal to your Omma… hahahaha!” Bom strongly slapped her shoulder causing Dara to slightly tumble. Jiyong laughed at them.

 

“Aishtt… Dara, it’s useless to fret now. Let’s just sit down” Bom guided her towards the inner seat. Bom sat down across Jiyong.

 

“In that case...I’m just gonna pretend that you’re not here. You hear me?!.... Kwon Jiyong, you’re not here. Arasso??!!” Dara pointed to Jiyong, wide eyed while sitting down.

 

Jiyong just stared at her... then ignored her and put back his headphones. He  continued playing his game.

 

After 15 minutes, Dara felt very sleepy and started to doze off. They woke up very early, because they needed to catch the first train that leaves at six in the morning. They needed to travel for three hours and forty five minutes to reach Yeongwol.

 

“HAHAHAHA!!!”

 

Dara suddenly  bolted upright from her sleep. She turned her head to Bom who was laughing loudly. She’s unaware that she had awaken Dara since she’s too engrossed to the show she’s watching. She’s wearing earphones.

 

“My ghad Bom….” Dara said while rubbing her face in frustration. She pulled out one of Bom’s earphones and talked to her.

 

“huh?” Bom looked at her.

 

“I said I’m sleeping Bom”

 

“Oh.. sorry”

 

Dara gave back her earphone and went back to sleep. She was sleeping peacefully again after 10 minutes  when suddenly she jerked up hearing a loud singing voice.

 

“CAN’T NOBODY HOLD US DOWN~~” Bom sang loudly. Dara hit her in irritation.

 

“Wae??!!” Bom looked confusedly at her.

 

“Bom! please let me sleep peacefully! you’re singing so loud!” she complained. Dara switched her position facing the train window and scratched her head irritatingly. She rested her head on her headrest and closed her eyes tightly “For the love of God, I just want to have a good nap!” she whined.

 

Bom stared at Dara’s back for quite some time. She then scratched her head.  After a while she turned her head and looked at Jiyong who’s still busy playing games. She stood up and went to his seat. Jiyong looked up at her.

 

“Wae?”

 

Bom pointed at her seat beside Dara.

 

“Exchange”

 

Jiyong stood up confusedly. He walked and then slowly sat on Bom's seat. Dara’s still sleeping soundly facing the train window.

 

Bom leisurely sat down on Jiyong’s seat and relaxed.

 

“Ahhh… now I can enjoy without her bugging me” she thought.

 

It’s been half an hour that Jiyong is quietly playing games beside the sleeping Dara.  She turned to face Jiyong and moaned softly. Her head gently landed on his shoulder. Jiyong stopped playing his game and looked at her. He softly smiled and  gently tucked the hairs behind her ear that was covering her face. He pulled down his headphones to his neck and kept his phone in his hoodie pocket.

 

Jiyong gently pushed her back to her seat. He pulled up the arm rest that was acting as their divider. Once it was removed, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her back close to him again. Dara, still in deep sleep, instinctively rested her head on his chest and hugged his waist, like a pillow. She murmured undistinguishable words and nuzzled her face on his chest. Jiyong gently kissed her forehead and  held her arm on his waist with his other hand. He closed his eyes and rested his head on his headrest. A few minutes later, he's also in deep slumber.

 

Another half an hour passed, Bom stopped watching and glanced at Dara and Jiyong. Her eyes widened when she saw their sleeping position. She grinned and stood up to look more closer.

 

“Awww~~~ they look so sweet!” she whispered while smiling for ear to ear. She couldn’t help to feel romantically giddy. She held up her phone and took a photo of them.

 

“This photo will be a good blackmailing tool to Dara someday. Bwahahaha” she whispered. She then returned to her seat and slept as well.

 

 

After three hours...

 

“YEONGWOL STATION… YEONGWOL STATION” the train announced.

 

Dara stirred from her sleep and buried herself deeper to the warmth that was enveloping her. In her dream, she can hear the person’s heartbeat and feel the way his chest gently rise up and down while breathing. She doesn’t know why, but being close to this person made her feel so loved and protected.  She hugged the person tightly and wished for her dream to never end.

 

“YEONGWOL STATION… YEONGWOL STATION” the train announced again.

 

Dara was awakened by the second announcement. She slowly opened her eyes. She squinted to adjust to the brightness on her surroundings. She noticed that she’s hugging someone and that person is hugging her as well. She can hear his faint snoring. She gently looked up, still squinting.

 

She was welcomed by Jiyong’s sleeping face. His head is bowed down. He looks so angelic and innocent... so different when he’s awake. Dara frowned and gently pushed his cheek away from her. She started to loosen up her hug. Her movement awakened Jiyong and instinctively held her arm tighter, not letting her go.  He slowly opened his eyes and met her stare.

 

“Hi” Jiyong whispered groggily.

 

“Hi” she whispered back.

 

Jiyong let go of her arm and rubbed his face. Dara straightened up and looked at Bom. She’s sitting droopily on Jiyong’s chair, open, sleeping soundly. Still feeling sleepy, Dara stood up and stumbled slightly as she walked to Bom. Jiyong grabbed her hand and assisted her to safely make it to Bom’s side.

 

“Bom wake up… we’re alighting” Dara shook her shoulders.

 

“hmm.. corn.. come here..” Bom mumbled in her sleep.

 

“Bom!” Dara shook her shoulders strongly.

 

“Wha?... whaaatt??” Bom woke up surprised.

 

“The train stopped already.  We’re about to alight” Dara grabbed her hand and assisted her in standing up.

 

Bom scratched her head and picked up her backpack. Jiyong finished fixing his disheveled hair and wore his cap. He then carried his backpack as well and handed Dara’s backpack to her. Dara took it from him and carried it on her back. All three of them walked out of the train once the train doors opened.

 

All three of them walked out of the train station and went to the loading and unloading bay area.

 

“Should we call halmoni?” Jiyong took out his phone from his hoodie.

 

“Halmoni doesn’t have a cellphone.. ” Dara replied.

 

“chincha?”

 

“yeah… she would always ask her neighbors to  contact us”

 

Suddenly they saw a rusty old white pickup truck coming towards them. Dara and Bom recognized it easily. Bom laughed.

 

“Wonpal??!!... seriously! why would Halmoni use wonpal to pick us up!” Dara is annoyed. The pick up truck stopped beside them. A middle aged man came out of the driver’s seat.

 

“Anneonghaseyo Ajusshi!” all three of them bowed down.

 

“Neh~ Anneonghaseyo!” the man smiled at them and quickly opened the passenger’s seat. A short old woman stepped out of it. Ahjussi assisted him in going down the truck.

 

“Halmoni!” Both Bom and Dara cried as they rushed to hug the old woman.

 

“Aigoo, Bom and Dara” halmoni gently patted their back as they hugged her. Her aged eyes was gleaming with happiness as she looked at the girls. She smiled sweetly at them.

 

Jiyong quietly gazed at halmoni. Halmoni’s face is timeworn and wrinkled but she appears active and alert. Her short curly gunmetal gray hair was a bit messy, perhaps caused by the wind when they traveled along the road. Although she’s wearing farm clothes, it wasn’t that soiled or tattered. On her back hanged her farmer’s hat with the string worn around her neck

 

Halmoni diverted her gaze to Jiyong who’s standing behind the girls.

 

“Jiyong-ah, come here” her frail gentle voice called out. She extended her calloused hand to him. Jiyong walked forward to her. He grabbed her hand tightly  and then gave her a warm hug.

 

“Halmoni, I am your long lost grandson” he joked. Halmoni let out a hearty chuckle.

 

“What a very handsome grandson I have!” she smiled widely at him and cupped his face with both her hands. Her hands felt hard and rough against Jiyong’s soft and smooth skin but Jiyong didn’t mind, it made him very happy being touched by her nonetheless.

 

The starting engine of the pickup truck distracted them.

 

“Bianhe, we used Wonpal today because we have to deliver the rice before we picked you up...” halmoni explained.

 

“Ahhh... “ they chorused in understanding.

 

“There’s only one passenger who can sit down inside together with halmoni and ahjussi. The